oh, those french girls
by safeandsound13
Summary: When his sister partakes in an exchange program with France, he meets a girl that's different from all the others. For real this time. Joe/Demi, m for language


**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

**A/N: this is an AU story in which aliens put a look alike of Mitchie on earth called Demi (picked the name randomly) and a look alike of Shane was born out of mermaid and they called him Joe (randomly picked) and have him lots of sexiness. Duh.**

**A/N 2: please keep in mind I'm not French and I've done this all from the top of my head. I've taken French for a three years now and I still suck at it. LOL**

**This is dedicated to my dearest Jenna because I love her. So if you're reading this, I love you, Cookie.**

…

"Joe, get out of bed, damnit!"

"For the last time, leave me alone," Joe groaned into his pillow, turning away from his sister.

Selena huffed, blowing a stray of hair out of her face before uncrossing her arms and pulling the covers off his body. "If I'm late because of you, I'll tell mom you and Chelsea were in your room for two hours when she and dad were away last Saturday," she warned him before stalking towards the door.

"You wouldn't," he almost flew up, glaring at Selena's back.

"Clearly, you still underestimate me. I would," she tells him, turning around with a cheeky smirk on her face. "Oh my God, mom! There was so much moaning!" She mocks, for the extra effect. "Five minutes," she wiggles five of her lean, long fingers.

He gets out of bed, glaring at his twin sibling as he rummages through his closet, not finding anything he like. All there was were stupid one buttons his mother like on him and a few t-shirts he probably wore back in the 90's. "Go away," he spats as he picks up a shirt from the ground and smells it. "Good enough," he mutters before pulling it over his head.

"You're disgusting," she scowls, narrowing her eyes as she watches him shrug into a pair of jeans and put on his sneakers.

"Fuck off," he bites back as he blindly throws his other sneaker over his shoulder in, what he hoped, was her direction.

Barely able to maneuver away from the shoe, she gasps. "That just cost you three minutes. If you're not downstairs in 2 minutes make sure you enjoy being lectured by mom about the dangers of teen pregnancies as she drops you off in front all of your asshole friends." With those words she leaves his room

Joe looked over at his alarm clock, seeing the bright red numbers jump onto 7:56. This was going to cost him breakfast and she knew how hungry he'd be the entire morning. "Bitch," he said to himself as limped to his door, slinging his back over his shoulder and grabbing his sneaker before making his way downstairs.

Sometimes he really hated her.

...

"Man, I wish I was a bra for just one day," Nick's eyes followed the bouncing figure of one of the cheerleaders as he grabbed his left over lunch out of his bag.

Joe snickered, "You're lucky Miley hasn't dumped your ass yet, bro." He nudged his best friend as he leaned back, admiring the view.

"Damn," Jacob licked his lips, resting his elbows on his knees, "Your sister is so hot."

"Please, she has cup A. I looked it up," Joe told him, a frown appearing on his face as soon as Jacob mentioned his sister.

"That's just gross in every way possible," Nick told him as he took a bite out of his sandwich. Nick was one of Joe's best friends ever since the second grade. He wasn't popular but not a real outsider either, but he had that to thank to his perky, bubbly cheerleader girlfriend, Miley. If everyone would know what kind of freak he really was, they'd be terrified. He spent most of his time writing songs on his room or making homework (he was trying to get into Julliard or some shit), if he wasn't with Miley at least. Those two were like little kids and band aids, they couldn't go without. Unless they had really over protective parents or something and never got to play outside. Whatever, Joe had never been good at mataphores.

"Wait... If Selena has cup A, what in the hell kind of cup does Taylor have?" Jacob wondered as his eyes travelled across the field to find the blonde. She was sitting on the grass, waving at Selena as she did some flip flops, her hair pulled back in a pony tail. Taylor wasn't allowed to practice with the cheerleaders anymore after she caused a broken nose and two broken limbs on herself only. She took down half of the team in half an hour. The coach didn't have the heart to tell her she wasn't good (or rather safe) enough so she appointed her as the team's mascot and water girl.

"-A times ten raised to the power of like, 15?"

Joe's and Jacob's head turned towards Nick slowly, confused looks gracing their faces. "Just shut up, no one knows what you're talking about."

"Well, it's a simple math equasio-," Nick started to answer Joe's question but Jacob cut him off.

"Seriously, dude. Shut up!" Jacob shouted, his eyes wide and convincing. Jacob transferred to Joe's school sophomore year, in the middle of the semester. Everyone gave him weird looks because, well, frankly only few had seen a darker colored human in their lives in this small town somewhere in Arizona. It wasn't like everyone was being racist and didn't talk to him but he also dressed like a real city boy and they just,- jumped to conclusion. Joe had befriended him during gym as they both flashed their guns and compared their abs (no homo) and found out he was actually a really nice, normal guy (no homo, again). Ever since then they'd been best friends.

"Why are you yelling at my boyfriend?" Because they'd all been to wrapped up in their argument they hadn't even noticed the group of girls approaching them.

"He was just being his geeky self again," Jacob rolled his eyes as Miley glared at him. Sometimes she really scared him.

"Nicky, what did I say about acting like that in public?" She said sitting down on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Not to do it," he answered and she pecked him on the lips.

"Right!" She started giggling as he started placing kisses on her face and everyone automatically turned away. Let's just say Miley and Nick certainly weren't afraid of a 'little' PDA. Joe had seen them make out more than he'd seen his own face.

Selena rolled her eyes as she sat down on the bench next to Taylor. "They're so sickenly gross."

"Hi Jacob," Taylor waved at Jacob, a blush forming on her cheeks.

"Hey Taylor," he waved back, a smile forming on his face.

"What's up?" She asked, twirling a stray of hair around her finger as she bit her lip.

"Nothing. What's up with you?" His smile widened even more.

"Nothing," she grinned as they both stared at each other.

"Get a room, you guys, this is too much PDA. Keep it PG 13," Selena said sarcastically as she leaned back on the bench behind her, absorbing as much of the sun as she could.

Taylor and Jacob both ignored her as they kept staring at each other.

"Want to watch a movie at my house? I just got the Goonies on DVD."

"Sure," Jacob said as they ignored everyone else and made their way off the bleachers but not without Taylor tripping atleast twice.

"This is awkward," Joe said as him and Selena both simultaneously turned their head to a now making out Nick and Miley.

"Let's go," Selena told him as she got up and putting her bag on her shoulder.

"Great idea," he retorted practically jumping up as they made their way down the bleachers too. Joe put his arm around Selena and pulled her close. Selena was seven minutes older than Joe but he still had a good 4 inches on her.

"Ain't they cute?" He asked, smirking as he looked down at her.

She shrugged his arm off, narrowing her eyes. He always knew just how to make her feel uncomfortable. "You're a dick." She fastened her pace, her arms crossed.

"What did I do?" He grinned as he watched her retreating figure.

All he got was a middle finger in return.

...

"So, mommy? Daddy?" Selena asked as she put some more potatoes on her plate.

"Yes?" Her mother gave her a knowing look. She knew that tone. "How much money do you need exactly?"

"Mom!" Selena scrunched her nose, "Is that how little you think of me?" She put her hand over her heart in mock-hurt.

Her mother raised her eyebrows in return and after a moment Selena finally gave in. Joe snorted, this was going to be good. Selena was a great actress but his mom was one though bitch, he could tell you that. "Fine," she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, "All I wanted to ask was if I could, please, please, please join the foreign exchange programme,- please!"

"I don't know, Selena..." Her voice trailed off, not particularly keen on taking a stranger into her home and exposing her to her two little angels.

"Please?" And Joe didn't know how she did it but those eyes even made him want to give her everything she wanted. Unfortunately for her, their mother wasn't that easy to crack so she turned to their father. He'd always have a sweet spot for his little girl. "Daddy, please?"

Joe almost started to applaud as he watched her throw in a pout. He would've if he wasn't busy taking advantage of the fact Selena was too caught up in convincing their parents so she couldn't pig out on the left over food like she always did, too. This time it was all his.

"Your mom and I will talk about it, sweetheart. What do you think Joe?" his dad said and Joe was too focused on shoving the delicious steak into his mouth to notice they'd been talking to him, the subject already forgotten because of the lack of interest it held for Joe.

Selena huffed in protest, he was too much of an asshole to allow her to have a little bit of happiness. If he had a say in it she'd turn out to be a 75 year old cat lady just so he could laugh at her. "What does he know? He should be in Special Ed."

"Joe?" His mother asked him. putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What are we talking about again?" He asked her with a full mouth, closing his eyes in bliss as he shoved another piece of steak into his mouth. Damn Selena for being such a fast eating pig all the time.

"About your sister joining a foreign exchange student programme," his father told him and Joe sat back, the words sinking in as he swallowed the last piece of meat.

"How about hell no?" Flashes of a lack of privacy, some weird foreign fuck invading his personal face and using his stuff without permission appeared in his head as he pictured that horny guy Fez from That 70's Show.

"Joe!" Selena whined, "You can't do this me!" Ever since she'd been a little girl she had dreamed of going to Paris and studying there but money had always been an issue. Now she could go for 1/3 of what it would usually cost and she wouldn't be surrounded by 'complete' strangers.

"We'll think about it, Selena," her mother said doubtingly and with that the conversation was finished.

Selena was beyond pissed off. Not only had he probably ruined her biggest ambition in life, he ate all the leftover food and she was left hungry,- only half off the food she normally consumed in her stomach.

...

"Do you have a spare calculator?" Joe asked, his head appearing around the corned of her door. He never actually made his homework but since he had an exam tomorrow that was worth like half of his grade, he figured he maybe should take a look at the subject-matter.

"Go away," Selena sniffed, her back turned towards him as she stared at her pillow, sitting at the end of her bed, cross-legged.

"What's wrong?" He asked frowning as walked further into her room.

"I said go away," she yelled, now more clearly as she turned to face him. A glare was apparent on her face but her eyes were red and puffy.

"What the hell? Who's nose do I have to go and break?"

"Yours, please," she sniffed, feeling more tears come but she quickly swallowed them away.

He sat down on the bed, near to her pillow. "What did I do?"

"Don't act like you're an idiot, Joe!" She yelled frustrated, throwing one of her stuffed animals at him.

"Is this about the food?" He asked confused, catching the object without even looking. Selena had always had a bad aim.

"Yes,- no! Yes, I'm hungry but, this is not about that," she wiped away a few tears with her wrist angrily, throwing a stuffed animal against the wall, frustrated.

Even though Selena was seven minutes older and all, seeing her like this, crying and hurt,- it always made him feel like an asshole. Like he needed to protect his little sister. Technically he was taller so she was little. Right?

"Then what is it about?"

"The foreign exchange programme!"

"Jesus, is it about that?"

"Yes!"

"Are you being serious? You're crying over something stupid like that?"

"It's not stupid to me, Joe! You're going to go off to some stupid college, riding free on some idiot football scholarship while I have to stay at home, working because mom and dad don't have enough money to send me off to university! All I ever wanted was to go to Paris, the city of love, and I never once complained how it wasn't fair how dad bought you all those football equipments and he couldn't even afford to buy me a birthday present. Not once, Joe! I saved up to pay for the trip there and even for the extra food and water when she comes to live with us.. And now I can't even go there.." Tears rolled down her cheeks and,- Wait.. She? Joe sighed. She was right and he had been to stupid to even realize it all this time.

"I'll go talk to mom and dad, okay?"

"You'd do that?"She whispered, as she practically jumped into his arms and he patted her back awkwardly.

"Thanks Joe," she sniffed as she pulled away, smiling.

"Hey, I'm only doing this so I'll finally have some peace and quiet when they ship you off to France for twelve fucking weeks. Go freedom."

"You're a jerk."

He smirked before getting off the bed.

"Love you too, sis."

...

"Please let it be someone fun, please let it be someone fun..."

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" Joe asked as he watched the three girls huddle around a piece of paper in the middle of the hallway (in their way too short cheerleader hoe-tumes) like some overexcited freaks.

"She's finding out who her exchange student is!" Taylor said excitedly, almost hitting Joe in the face in the process.

"Is she hot?" He tried to peek over Selena's shoulder. Hey, if he was going to have to live with some French creature for twelve freaking weeks, she might as well be smokin'.

"Shut up," Selena snarled as she turned her attention back on the major enveloppe in her hands. She slowly took the letter out.

Joe cringed as Miley shrieked into his ear, soon followed by Selena's and Taylor's shrieks. "She looks awesome!" Thanks to Taylor's curly sheep-like hair (afro) bouncing in his face he couldn't see anything.

"Can I see?" He asked, trying to take the form with information (and hopefully a really hot bikini picture) from Selena's hand. Just as he almost had it she started propping it back into the envelope. "I'm so happy! Her name's Demi Torres," she beamed, pronouncing it as 'Damn-iehhh Torresh'. He'd always hated the fucked up way the French pronounced things. It was so melodramatic and unnecessary.

"I wish I took French so I could've joined, too," Taylor sighed as they went on babbling about some chick he had yet to see.

"Can I see, now?" Joe whined and Selena turned her head, glaring at him.

"Fuck off, Joe."

"Can I just see the picture?" He asked again, this time more demanding.

"No," she snapped, "Now get out of my face."

"Well, fuck you then. Don't expect me to be nice to that bitch either!" He barked as he backed away from them, once again earning a middle finger from Selena.

What? They both got the short temper from their half Hispanic mother.

...

"Let me lay down some basic rules here," Kevin, his dad started on the day the 'Damn-iehhh' girl was supposed to arrive.

Joe rolled his eyes as he slouched down further in the couch.

"Doors opens at all times, I don't care if you're afraid of the dark or not,- if you're home alone don't interact with the girl,- no touching, flirting or as a matter of fact just don't look at her in any way but friendly or I will make sure your aunt Betty cleans out the guest bed room for you to spend the entire rest of the school year and I'll send her back to France, linea directa. Got it?" He gave both of them a firm look.

"This is great and all," Selena looked at her watch frantically, "But what am I supposed to do with this? I'm a girl."

"You know those French people, they're real free spirited and all," Brad scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

Selena nodded her head in conformation and Joe smirked to himself. He caught his dad's eye and the minute he did, he knew he'd been too late at hiding it.

"I'm serious, Joseph," he used his full name, he must be real serious, "This girl is my responsibility the minute she steps foot in this house. I won't let her go back to French carrying a two month old foetus as some kind of sick souvenir, got it?"

"Yes," he rolled his eyes again, focusing on Snooki's face on the TV. He hated Jersey Shore but it was better than his dad's stupid speeches.

"Joseph?" He threatened, his voice raising.

"Yes, dad! Now can I please watch some TV?" He said frustrated.

"We'll be at the airport picking her up. Make sure to help your mother in the kitchen. She baking a 'welcome to the USA' cake." He didn't get what all the fuss was about. No one had ever baked them a 'welcome to Arizona' cake when they moved here when he and Selena were five.

"Yeah, fine, whatever. Now go," he said, uninterested. He could care less about any of this. He wasn't fond of sharing his house with anyone, to be real honest.

"Be nice to her," Selena warned him one last time before slamming the door.

"Be nice to her," he mocked Selena's voice before changing the channel.

...

After his mom had forced him to decorate the matching USA cupcakes (which made him feel more like a pansy than he had ever did), he finally heard the door open.

Glad to get it over with, he got up from the kitchen table, leaning against the counter as he took chewed on the inside of his cheek. He prayed to God she wouldn't be a total troll as he heard Selena ramble in what was probably French and saw his dad enter the kitchen.

His mom, Sophia, had put up a banner, too and he stared at it, wishing this day would be over.

"Everyone, this is Demi," Selena beamed as she pushed Demi a bit forward.

"_Bonjour_," a girl voice spoke up, making Joe's head snap up.

The girl had black hair, tied into a loose bun on the back of her head, black (he guessed what people would describe as 'nerd') glasses on her nose and a faint blush on her cheeks. She was wearing a black dress decorated with pink flowers, a black sweater and brown ankle boots. Her lips were plump and pink and her eyes, her eyes were just.. he couldn't describe it.

He saw his mom walk up to her, blocking his view and he immidiately stood up straight. This wasn't good.

He didn't really progress any of the words they were saying but he faintly remembered his mother trying to speak French and offering her cupcakes, cookies and cake, his mind not fully working until he heard his name.

"And that is my brother, Joe. _Il est un grand idiote_," Selena winked at Demi, making her smile a little.

"A qui," she stook out her hand and Joe took it, shaking it. She surprised him by leaning in and placing a kiss on either of his cheeks.

His cheeks reddened a little and Selena send him a smirk which only earned her a glare in return.

"It's," she seemed to look for the right words, "nice to meet you, qui?"

She glanced at him from under her lashes and he gave her a small smile, "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Tu veux voir ton chambre?" Selena spoke fluently as Demi nodded and it made Joe want to understand what they were talking about.

"Merci pour the food," Demi said to his parents and he could actually understand it.

"I'm just going to go show her her room and I think she'll want to go to bed after that. She must be tired," Selena told her parents, leading Demi upstairs after earning her parents approval.

"Isn't she just lovely?" He heard his mom gush to his dad, who only nodded his head firmly.

"She seems nice."

"What do you think, Joe?" His mom turned her attention on him.

"Yeah, real nice," Joe muttered, "I'm gonna hit the sack, too."

...

The next morning he woke up 20 minutes too late thanks to not being able to get a certain girl's face out of his head the past night.

He showered and got dressed in record time so he could at least take his time to eat breakfast. What could he say, food was basically all he needed in life.

"Bonjour, you sleeped good?"

His head snapped up as he entered the kitchen to see Demi sitting at the kitchen table.

He couldn't help but smile at her cute English sentences. "Not really. What about you?"

She frowned a little, "Because of _moi_?"

He shook his head as he opened the fridge, she should know.. "No, I just kept waking up."

"A qui," her voice trailed off and he made himself some sandwiches before sitting down across from her.

"Where's Sel?"

"She's upstairs, fixing her.. hair," she told him and he rolled his eyes. Her and her damn hair.

"What?" She asked him in the most adorable accent he had ever heard.

"Let's just say she spends more time on her hair than trying to find herself a boyfriend."

"She no have a boyfriend?" She seemed surprised. "_Mais elle est belle_!"

He had no clue what she was saying so he just went with the English. "Selena is.. Different." What, he tried putting it nicely. His sister had high fucking standards not to forget she was a total high maintence bitch.

He took a bite out of his sandwich as she nodded her head, still looking confused.

"_Et toi_? Do you have a boyfriend?" He almost suffocated as a chunk of sandwich got stuck in his throat.

"Girlfriend," he corrected her, "girlfriend."

She raised her eyebrows, "You do?"

"No, I don't really like commitment," he drank some water to ease the itch in throat from the sandwich before getting up and swinging his bag over his shoulder. "Well, later.."

She scrunched her nose and he raised his eyebrows. "It means bye?"

"_A qui_! Goodbye," she said proudly and he gave her a nod before leaving, almost knocking over Selena in the hallway.

She glared at him and he stretched the band off her bra, the band snapping back onto her skin loudly.

She winced, "Joe!" She screamed, rubbing her shoulder.

He raised his hands in defense, "I shouldn't even be able to see it, nor reach it," he winked before slamming the door and getting into Nick's car.

She let out a frustrated groan before entering the kitchen.

"Are you ready?" Selena asked Demi and she nodded her head.

"Can I ask you something, _s'il vous plaît_?"

Selena nodded her head as she put on her jacket, "Of course. What is it?"

"What do 'commitment' mean?" She scrunched her nose once again and Selena laughed.

"It's like, being bounded to someone I guess? Why?" She asked curiously as she opened the door.

"_Sans raison_," Demi told her vaguely. "_Sans raison."_

...

"So, what's she like?" Jacob asked him as soon as Joe and Nick entered the classroom. All three of them had biology.

"Didn't me not answering your 23 texts say enough?" Joe raised his eyebrows. The horn dog had been texting him all of last night asking him if the girl was hot and if he had any chance. Joe knew he wasn't really interested (since he'd been crushing on Taylor since 1948) and he was just trying to keep up the facade of being a total stud.

"Can you at least tell me how hot she is on a scale from Betty White to Scarlett Johansson?"

"We got ourselves a Natalie Portman," Joe smirked, earning a high five from Jacob.

"Isn't that her?" Nick nudged his head to the right and Joe's head immidiately snapped to the right.

"What is she doing here?"

"Jesus, I don't know. Maybe she's here to take biology, asshole!" Jacob punched his arm and Joe glared at him.

"I know that, idiot! I meant what is she doing here since Selena doesn't even take biology," he punched Taylor back.

Nick shrugged, "Maybe's Selena's economics class was full."

"Should I be scared you know my sister's schedule like the back of your hand?"

Nick rolled his eyes, "Miley is in the same class as her."

"As if that makes it any better, pansy ass."

"Go say hi to her, she doesn't know anyone," Jacob pushed him forward.

"No!" Joe stepped back. "Are you guys insane? She'll think I'm into her or something."

"You're just helping her out," Nick said, pushing Joe forward again.

"Fine, whatever, you guys suck," he told them before stalking into Demi's direction. He was trying so hard not to give in to his small liking towards her but they were basically throwing him at her.

"Hey," he told her and he might've sounded a little bit angry.

"Hello!" She beamed at him, her head snapping up immidiately. "I didn't know anyone here, I was _trés nerveuse_!"

"Yeah, fine, whatever," he told her, "Want to sit next to me?"

He didn't look like he actually wanted her to and her smile faded a little as she nodded, putting a stray of hair behind her ear. "_Oui, merci_."

He kind of felt bad for acting out his frustrations on her but he couldn't really help it. Ever since he's known he has had a bad temper and when things were bad, they were worse for him.

He day dreamed through the teacher's introduction of Demi and lecture about DNA and before he knew it, class was over. He got up, about to walk to second period with his friends when he felt a small warm, arm-tingly-leaving, hand on his arm.

He turned around, facing Demi. She blushed a little, "Sorry, _mais _I don't know _oú_ my next class is.."

Sighing, he took the schedule from her hand and looked at the classroom's number. "You have math with me and Selena, I'll walk you."

"Thank you," she told him quietly and he felt really bad.

"It's up one," he told her as they reached a crowded staircase.

She nodded and for the first time that day, as she was squirming through a sea of people, he acknowledged her clothes. She was wearing black shorts, a white short sleeved blouse and black all stars. Damn her bare legs, oh those legs..

He took the time to appreciate her behind to before they sadly reached the top of the stairs. Man, he knew those French people were all about fashion and shit but this was just too much teasing.

She tried getting through and he grabbed her hand, leading her through the crowd, being used to it. He tried ignoring the sparks her hand was leaving but he couldn't. Jesus, he just met the girl a day ago and he was acting like she was some Greek (French) Goddess...

...

Selena gave Joe a pointed look as he reached their classroom, his hand in Demi's. He immidiately let go, narrowing his eyes at her before taking a seat in the far back, Selena pulling Demi down next to her and starting a conversation.

And all he could do was stare at the side of her face as she talked to Selena, or more like listened.

He was sure she kept glancing over at him and it wasn't just in his head.

It wasn't just him, was it? She really did keep glancing over at him.

His father's words kept haunting him. 'I'll send her back to France'.

It wasn't like he had real feelings for the girl, c'mon.. He just needed to stop staring,- thinking about her.

It was as easy as that and yet so hard when she kept sending him these smiles that were just... Smiles he couldn't not think about.

...

It was two weeks since Demi had arrived and he had tried his best at keeping his distance. He really didn't look forward to spend the school year at his greasy, greedy, old Aunt Betty's house.

"Just admit you like her," Nick told him as he caught Joe staring at Demi during lunch once again.

"I don't like her."

"Please, stop lying, it's so obvious," Jacob added, opening his lunch bag.

"It's complicated, okay? I don't like her," he snapped, pushing his lunch away from him. He so wasn't hungry anymore.

"What there to be complicated about? I heard French girls aren't afraid of a little baseball, if you know what I mean," Jacob nudged him and Joe rolled his eyes.

"She isn't like that," Joe told them firmly as he watched Demi laugh at something Selena had said.

"How would you know?" Nick snickered and Joe sent him a glare.

"Shut up. I really don't need dating advice from a guy who's been with the same girl since forever and is just lucky she turned out hot nor from a guy who claims he's all that but doesn't have the balls to ask out a girl, the last girlfriend he had being in what? Third grade? No thank you, now shut up," he growled and Jacob rose his hands in defense.

"Hey, there's no need to get all pissed. We were just suggesting that if you don't make a move, someone else will," his eyes travelled across the sea of people towards the some of the other guys from the football team.

Joe grinded his teeth together as he watched his teammates constantly laugh and look into the girls' direction.

"Competition's rough," Nick patted his back before taking his back and leaving to sit with the girls.

"You like her, be honest," Jacob said seriously.

"And you like Taylor but you haven't done shit yet."

"Whatever dude," Jacob got up and followed Nick's lead.

Joe kicked the table, cursing under his breath and he rubbed his leg.

"Fucking France."

...

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Selena felt really bad for leaving Demi alone when she was only here for 12 weeks but she couldn't really take her on a date with her, could she? Besides, she really liked this guy.

Demi nodded her head firmly, "Of course, you have lot of fun!" Her English approved a lot over the past few weeks, she was a fast learner.

Selena shrieked, leaning in for a hug. "Wish me luck!"

"Luck!" Demi beamed and Selena let out a giggle.

"I'll see you tonight, okay?"

Demi nodded again and Selena gave her one last smile before closing the door.

She let out a sigh, actually being really happy she got some time alone. Selena was a sweetheart but she was.. So loud and energetic. Demi wasn't used to that.

After taking a long warm bad, she wrapped a towel around herself, making her way downstairs to prepare some snacks and to watch a movie.

She jumped up as the door opened, and she panicked. She was half naked, for God's sake.

Joe walked into the kitchen, walking straight past her, music blasting from his headphones as he opened the fridge.

Demi's eyes were wide, her body pressed against the counter as she observed Joe frightfully.

"Uhm, bonsoir," Demi's voice cracked and Joe jumped back a little.

"Oh hey, I didn't see.." His voice trailed off and his eyes almost bulged out of his head as his eyes racked her body.

"_Je suis désole_, sorry!" Demi didn't blush even though he expected her to, maybe she was more.. sensual than he had thought, "I didn't know anyone was home."

"It's fine. It's more than fine," Joe breathed, coughing, trying to get himself under control but his brain seemed to be real foggy at the moment. "So, what's up?"

"I was making food for when I watch movie," she nodded her head, her breathing unsteady.

"What movie?" Can you blame him for the small talk? He really couldn't even think about other things right now. Economic crisis, what? Demi half naked, that's what.

His eyes caught a single drop of water, dropping into her towel and he licked his lips unconsciously.

"Le time traveler's wife," she told him and it sounded like some kind of cheesy romantic drama and Joe really hated those with a passion but it couldn't keep the words of rolling of his lips.

"Do you mind if I watch with you?"

She shook her head, "I will just get changed."

"I need to change too, long football practice. Sticky." He was just a big fat idiot. Why was his brain working like one of a cave man? Not cool.

She smiled at him, though, and he was sure that with that smile, she could light up the whole city,- no screw that, the entire state of Arizona.

...

He never showered and changed so quickly as he did right now.

He knocked on Demi's door, hearing her voice soon after. "Come in."

He opened the door not expecting, well that. She was standing there in skinny jeans and a bra, struggling to get it on, her hands behind her back.

"Can you help?" She asked, looking over her shoulder and he gulped.

"S-sure," he crossed the room, the thought of 'accidentally' letting go so the bra would fall off crossing his mind, clipping the bra.

"Merci," she send him a smile through the mirror before throwing on a t-shirt and a pink sweater that read 'I love Arizona'. She was wearing the smallest bit of make-up, her lips red.

Damn, those French girls and their sexuality.

"Ready to watch movie together?"

He nodded his head and he knew damn well he was about to throw away everything he had worked for the past two weeks.

He couldn't care less.

...

He really couldn't keep his hands off her soft legs.

And it wasn't like she was a saint.

She'd been playing with her hair the entire movie, her legs on his lap and her sweatshirt somewhere on a chair because it 'was _le trés_ hot'.

"So, Joe..." She said, during the movie and he didn't know if his mind was playing tricks on him but she sounded very seductive. Maybe it was just the accent. It had to be the accent.

"Yes?" He kept his eyes on the movie, not wanting to do something he'd regret later.

"Do you _détesté_ me?"

"_Détesté_?" He questioned confused, sitting up.

"Hate, do you hate me?" She looked at him seriously and he shook his head.

"I just can't.. Do anything with you even though I want to," he really hadn't planned on admitting that.

"Do?" She scrunched her nose again in that cute way she always did when she didn't understand.

He closed his eyes momentarily, "I just.. I don't trust myself around you."

She nodded her head, shifting to sit closer to him on her knees so they were on eyelevel, her eyes lighting up. "So, you like me?'

He let out a chuckle, "I guess I do."

She leaned in suddenly placing a small kiss on his lips, startling him. His eyes widened. "We can't,- We can't do that!"

There was a dark glint in her eyes, a teasing one even, "Can't do what?" There it was again, that damn seductive accent.

He smirked, "You are..." He really couldn't describe her and that was coming from a guy who always knew the right things to say.

She bit her lip, tilting her head a little. "What?"

"Different," she looked disappointed, upset even, "In a good way," he added quickly.

She smiled a little at him.

"A really good way."

Her smile widened, "You are sweet _et gentil. __Et tu est trés charming_!"

He blinked a few times, understanding half of what she was saying, their eyes locking. It sounded sweet, right? It wasn't like she would've said he was sweet and then say 'and you're a real jackass too'. He swallowed hard. He should really just end this night with them kissing once, convincing himself the rest of his life it was a mistake.

But he couldn't.

He put his hand on her cheek, leaning closer.

She parted her lips slightly, staring at his lips and he swore it was the most sexy thing he'd ever seen.

His lips almost met hers when the door slammed, "Demi! I'm home!"

Goddamnit, Selena and her timing could really go screw themselves.

Or maybe he should thank them. He shouldn't start things he couldn't finish.

He quickly got up, figuring Selena was taking of her heels and he had about five seconds to make it look like he wasn't just about to make out with Selena's very hot exchange student.

He sat down on the chair, trying to look casual as Selena entered the living room, giving him a suspicious glance.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Watching le film," Demi answered, sending Joe a confused glance.

Selena looked at the screen, in fact seeing Rachel McAdams face, satisfied as she sat down.

Joe glared at Selena just as she turned her head, narrowing her eyes.

Demi faked an obvious yawn, feeling the tension between the other two gradually building up. "I'm going to sleep. Bonsoir."

She gave Selena a smile, her eyes lingering for just a second to long on Joe.

"What are you doing?" Selena whispered shout.

"I'm sitting here, Barbie. What the hell is your problem?"

"You totally made out with Demi!"

"No, I didn't," he narrowed his eyes. Okay, maybe he did but she had no right to accuse him of such things without prove.

"Uhm, well, that color really matches your eyes, Joe," she snapped at him.

He quickly wiped his mouth, cursing under his breath. So, fuck, she did have prove. "She kissed me, okay?"

"And I'm supposed to believe that? Mr. 'I've slept with 67 girls last night' didn't make the first move?"

"I didn't, I swear," he told her firmly as she got up.

"Oh please, Joe. She's hot and your always horny. It's not hard to put one and one together."

"Screw you," he told her, crossing his arms.

"It's two, Joe, one plus one is two!" She screamed, putting up two fingers as he thanked God their parents had date night. "Just stay the fuck away from her next time, Joe, or make sure to look forward to spending 7 months at Aunt Betty's house. I'm sure you can share a room with her fifteen cats," she barked, leaving to her room.

He rolled his eyes, resting his head on the couch. God, his sister was such a bitch sometimes.

...

"Can I drive to school with you?" Demi asked a few mornings later, pronouncing school like 'skul'. "Selena has left without _moi_,- me."

"What? Why?" His head snapped up. He knew she was mad at him but there was no need for her to fucking give Demi a hard time.

"She sayed Miley was picked her up because she needed to be there very early," Demi sighed, "I do not think she likes me very much."

"She does. Don't worry about her. She's just... A bitch sometimes, okay?" Joe told her comfortingly as he grabbed his back.

"Merci," she told him as he opened the front door and held it open for her.

Finally he could fucking drive in the car Selena always hogged, claiming she was older so it was hers more. It was a black Mercedes-Benz G500, and he loved it, referring to it as his 'Babe Mobile' ever so often.

"Why you and Selena always fight?" She asked after a while, music from the Script playing on the background.

"We're family. That's what we do, I guess," he told her honestly as he glanced over at her. She looked sad. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged, playing with the hem of her skirt. "I do not have anyone _sauf mes parents_."

He reached over and grabbed her hand, "You have Selena now, right? I know she acts like she doesn't like you right now but we do that all the time. It's normal."

A small smile formed on her lips, "What about you? _Tu est comme mon frére_? Are you like my brother?"

"I hope not," he smirked back at her and she squeezed his hand, looking out of the window.

A small voice in his kept saying 'don't do it' and he guessed he had to listen to it. Considering it also sounded a lot like his annoying skank of a sister's voice.

...

She tried to kiss him again.

They were both in the kitchen, laughing about something he didn't even remember.

All he remembered was the look on her face when he said he couldn't.

"_Mais pourquoi_? Why?" She asked sadly, peeking at him through her lashes.

"I want to, Demi. So badly, but I can't," he told her, kissing her cheek before going upstairs.

And she didn't even try to kiss him anymore after that.

He should feel relieved. He didn't. He didn't feel any better.

...

She smelled so damn good. Every now and then when she'd lean over to grab her lunch or when she'd walk by him in the hallway or if she sat down next to him in Biology, he would catch it. It was sweet, like cotton candy and strawberry gum mixed with roses or something. Or like a creamy caramel vanilla cake with woody musk. He couldn't really define it.

And he knew she was touching him on purpose.

Her hand always seemed to find its way to his thigh in class or on the couch and she always put her hand on his shoulder or stomach when she apologized for something or if she passed him in the hallway. And when she kissed him on the cheeks two times, the second one always lasted the smallest of a second longer than it did with Selena or his dad or mom.

It kept getting harder to not act on his feelings.

She was making it hard, damnit.

Why couldn't she just leave him alone until she left so none of them would get hurt (including Selena)?

Why must she touch him and send him flirty smiles and basically eye fuck him the entire day? Why?

Was that normal in France? He didn't really care because she was in the USA now and she would just had to get over it. People actually didn't find it normal to be parading around in those freaking short skirts and see-through shirts. Okay, maybe they did but he didn't. Okay, maybe he did, too, but not right now. Not with her. Not when he could get shipped off to freaking Texas or Pennsylvania or wherever the fuck his aunt lived.

Not when his sister could hate him forever for this.

Damn French girls.

...

He didn't do anything, okay. He was just actually studying on his room for the first time in five years when she came skipping in.

She was wearing one of her bouncy black skirts, a flowery printed tank top tucked into it and she wasn't even wearing a damn bra. Well excuse him but if that isn't coming onto him, he didn't know.

She sat down on his bed, babbling on about some 'show _de Americaines_' she'd just seen and he didn't even hear her. He probably would've only understood half but that wasn't the point.

"I want to sing!" She told him happily. "Look," she sat down on his lap, putting on his computer screen and going to their school website. He rested his hands on her hips unconsciously and breathed in her scent as he tried looking over her shoulder. He felt like a total creep but couldn't help himself and he realized if anyone walked in right now he was screwed.

"Look!" She told him again, pointing at the screen, "It's talent show at your school!"

She sounded so excited he smiled, "That's great. Maybe you'll win."

She clapped her hands excitedly, "Will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Sing with me, ofcourse!"

"No, no, no, I don't sing," he told her and she got of his lap.

"But Selena showed tapes," she scrunched her nose, her glasses moving with it.

"That fucking bitch," he muttered. She probably wanted to brag about her 'totally being able to sing in 8 languages' and threw his performance from a few years in there, too. He performed 'I just want you to know' from the Backstreet boys because back then, for whatever reason, he'd been a diehard fan.

"_Mais non!_ You were great!" She beamed. "Sing with me!"

"No, I really can't, I'm sorry," he told her, turning back to his books.

She crossed her arms huffing, "Why do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you," he said not looking away from his chemistry book, "I hate singing."

"But you are ruining my _temps dans le USA_!" She sounded offended and he turned around, rubbing his face as he sighed.

"Look, I like you but me and all but I can't sing with you. Why don't you just sing alone?" He suggested, figuring she'd be fine.

"I do not want to, Joe. I am too afraid," she sniffed, her eyes teary.

He sighed again and she looked at him hopefully.

"Fine," he breathed and she attacked him with a hug.

"Merci! Thank you, thank you, thank you un million de fois!" She placed a kiss on either of his cheeks before rushing out of the room.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

...

Selena had been laughing for a good two minutes now, wiping away a tear while Demi stared at her weirdly.

"You got," Selena started laughing again, "You got, Joe, my Joe,- to, to sing with, you in front of the entire school, school?" She hiccupped.

Demi nodded her head, beaming.

"My Joe?"

Demi nodded again, getting more confused as on why Selena was laughing so hard.

"He's whipped, I need to call Miley and Taylor to tell them," she reached for her phone, wiping her eyes. "Joe.." She snort-laughed, her voice trailing off.

"Whipped?" Demi questioned, lost.

Selena waved her off as she dialed Miley's number, leaving Demi wondering.

...

He just wanted to pee, okay. He never intentionally walked into the bathroom while she was in the shower. He never meant to hear her beautiful voice and not go away the minute he realized she was in the shower, naked.

"No regrets, just love. We can dance, until we die. You and I, we'll be young forever..." He could hear her accent lightly and it was a rather slow version of teenage dream and he believed she was an octave to low but he didn't care. God, her voice..

He would trade anything to just be able to listen to it for a minute longer..

"What are you doing?" Selena's voice snapped from behind him.

He turned around, seeing his sister standing behind with crossed arms.

"Nothing, I just realized it was already taken," he was about to stalk back to his room.

"Find some other girl to use in one of your sexual adventures, Joe. Because I know they normally don't last very long and she deserves better than that."

...

"So, I picked a song," Demi said proudly as she sat down next to Joe at lunch, him earning strange looks from Jacob and Nick.

"Song?" Nick asked her and Demi smiled big at him.

"Yes! We are going to win the show!"

"The talent show?" Jacob snickered and Joe glared at him.

Demi nodded excitedly before turning to Joe, "I will tell you the details after school, _d'accord_?"

She hurriedly kissed his cheek, not even waiting for an answer before rushing back to the girls' lunch table.

"You're going to sing at the talent show?" Nick and Jacob bursted out laughing and Joe rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," he pricked his fork angrily into his food, "Last time I checked no one besides parents even came to watch the talent show last year so it won't be that bad."

"Oh there won't only be parents after I tell everyone on the team you're singing," Jacob smirked, patting his back as he stood up.

Joe groaned, slamming his head onto the table. "Fuck you!"

"No, I believe you're the one that's fucked here, my friend," Nick laughed as he got up. "Good luck."

He pushed his lunch away from him.

Damn persistent French girl.

...

"When I go back to France, I will pack everything and come back here to record albums," Demi rambled as she laid on Joe's bed.

Her skirt was slowly moving up her leg and he really tried to tore his eyes away from her creamy thighs. He really did try.

"It's great how you dream big," he told her, tearing his eyes away from her legs and staring at the wall instead.

"Do you not have dreams, Joe?"

He shrugged, "Football, I guess." He looked at his door. He didn't see anyone and he knew Selena had cheerleading practice for another hour at least. He took his chances and moved to sit next to her.

She sat up a little, resting her weight on her elbows, "You guess? Future is _très importante_, Joe. You cannot guess. _Pari.. non_!"

"I got offered a scholarship in my Junior year. It's mine if I want it. My parents don't have enough money to send me to another college," he told her, avoiding her eyes and she grabbed his hand.

"I think you can be anything you would like," she smiled at him, playing with their hands, intertwining them when he smiled back. And he believed her.

"So, how about that song?"

...

"Care to explain why you are singing a song," she paused, "with Demi," she raised her eyebrows, "in front of the entire school?" She looked at him expectationally

He rolled his eyes, pushing passed her and trying to get into his room asap, "She asked me to, ."

Selena huffed, "Please, you're so into her, you just won't admit it."

"Excuse you, I'm not into anyone," he tried pushing passed her again but she stopped him, pushing his chest back.

"I'm not done, Ricky Martin."

"Hurry up," he groaned, his face turning into a scowl.

"I know you like her, don't lie to me, Joe. We're twins, I can feel these sort of things. Sadly, we're tethered for life."

"Okay, great, now can I go to my room?"

"No," she growled, "Listen, I won't tell mom and dad since you were the one who made this all happen, and without you I would've never met Demi. But I need to make sure you're intentions are pure and not just to get into her pants."

"Well, it would be more like getting under her skirt..." His voice trailed off as he smirked.

"I see," she glared at him about to turn around.

He grabbed her arm, sighing, "I was just kidding, geesh. Calm your tits."

"What do you want from her, Joe? What makes her different? You've dated hundreds of girls. Why this one?"'

"I like how she makes me feel special, different. Not like I'm just some guy who happened to be good at throwing a melon shaped ball around. Her smile, it lights up the entire room,- scrap that this entire town, if not this lousy ass state. I like how she dreams, how big she dreams, she makes me want to dream big. She makes me want to be fearless like her. She makes me want to be better," he paused, looking away from Selena. She was sure to keep this against him for the rest of his life, but he could care less at the moment, "I like her eyes and the way she scrunches her whole face up when she's confused and they way she blushes about everything and anything except for when she's half naked in my kitchen and I'm staring her down," this earned a pointed look from Selena, "I like the way she's so short but when she starts talking she blows you away with her energy and I like the way she sings. God, the way she sings.. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

Selena smiled at him and he closed his eyes, waiting for the 'God, you really are a pussy', 'What have you've been smoking?' and the 'When are you two gonna get married?' jokes. They never came.

"Seems like you do a little more than just like her, Joe."

...

He fucking hated the entire world.

"Hey, Joe!" She said excitedly as she linked arms with him. He was used to it now. The touching. They'd been hanging out practically every day, rehearsing for the talent show. He still felt weird whenever she touched him though. A good weird.

He was talking to one of the cheerleaders, one who happened to be a very jealous type that had been crushing on him since forever.

A scowl formed on the cheerleaders face as Demi introduced herself, a smile on her face.

"Who is she?" The chick, her name was Emily if he remembered correctly, asked rather rudely, not even giving Demi a glance.

"This is Demi, I think she just said that," Joe raised his eyebrows and Demi gave him a smile.

"Isn't she the freak from France?"

"She's not a freak," Joe frowned, trying to understand where all of this was coming from.

"You said so yourself, Joe," Emily smirked and Demi's arm dropped while Joe tried to rack his brain but he didn't recall ever calling her a freak.

"What are you talking about, Emily?" He bit back, looking at Demi who was looking in between the two off them back and forth.

"Didn't he tell you we were dating?" Emily moved closer to Joe and he was just speechless, completely frozen as he watched the scene unfold in front him. Why was this happening?

"W-what?" Demi stuttered and she looked at Joe who opened his mouth to say something but Emily cut him off.

"What? You thought you actually had a chance. You poor little French girl. You thought you could come here and steal my man and get a green card or something? Though lukc, that ain't happening. You think he actually cares about you? You think he won't forget all about your sweet little slutty ass when you go back overseas to Germany or Italy or wherever French people are from? Huh?" Emily raised her eyebrows and Joe saw tears forming in Demi's eyes.

"Demi.." Joe's voice trailed off and then everything happened so fast.

He didn't even remember the drink Emily was holding in her hand and he didn't remember her throwing it at Demi, all he could remember was Demi's face when the cold liquid hit her.

The humiliation wasn't even the worst part, the worst part was that Selena had to actually usher her away because he just stood there.

He stood there and let her walk away.

He fucking hated everything and everyone, mostly himself.

...

Demi sobbed hysterically as Selena tried wiping away the salty tears and the remains of the drink at the same time with some paper towels.

"Shhh," Selena told her, "_Tout ira bien_. Everything will be okay_, d'accord_?"

"No, it will not," she said, a tear rolling down her slightly red face. "I was completely embarrassed and that, that stupid girl is Joe's girlfriend! _Elle est ton petite amie_!"

Selena frowned, "Emily? Last time I checked he hated her. She's too clingy and she's as smart as a nickel."

Demi sniffed, "Joe did not say it was not true. I do not know what to believe." She bit her lip, "She was right," she whispered this time.

"Believe me when I say my brother's an idiot. He's rude, obnoxious, annoying, he doesn't know when to stop or how to act around girls that aren't willing to spread their legs after he says hello and he freezes at the wrong moments," Selena smiled at Demi, "But he's crazy about you."

Demi huffed, "If he was really crazy about _moi_, he would be here, not you."

Selena shrugged, "Like I said, he's an idiot."

"Well, I am not," she said confidently before grabbing the bag of clean clothes Selena had given her. "I will change now."

Selena sighed, nodding her head as Demi went into a stall.

Damn stubborn French girls.

...

It was Demi's last week here, and the talent show was tonight.

The complete idiot he was, he hadn't talked to her since the incident and she'd completely ignored him.

Maybe it was for the best. She was leaving anyway.

She'd told him she was doing this solo, but if he wanted to he could perform solo after her when he'd arrived backstage.

He stood behind the curtains, on the side, watching them set up microphone and piano.

He'd seen yellow top, white flowy, almost see through, bottom dress that reached till about her knees in the front and ankles in the back. He'd seen the light blue jacket on top and the blue heals, she'd been wearing. How she finished the look with different colored bracelets and rings and multi-colored earrings. He'd seen her hair down in neat curls and the fact her glasses were missing. He'd seen all of it, but all he could picture right now was the look on her face. Hurt, betrayed, he couldn't handle it.

He couldn't handle going back into the audience and leave. He couldn't handle asking Selena to drive him home when he'd asked of her so much already. So he stayed there.

He felt a presence beside him after a while, about half way through the show. He knew it was bound to be Demi's turn soon.

"You're an idiot," he heard Selena's voice and he turned his head to see her leaning against the wall next to him, about a feet behind him.

"I know."

"She's singing that song you guys listened to the entire day a while back."

It'd been a sunny day and she was actually supposed to go and see some tourist places with Selena but she had an emergency cheerleader practice so Joe had spend the day with her. Helping her study English and they'd listened to one song in particular, the entire day, claiming they were so into country.

"Great for her," he said bitterly.

"You know the lines."

"What are you trying to say?"

Selena shrugged and he turned back to face the stage, seeing Demi just entered it.

"I don't know, maybe something like," she pretended to think, now standing next to him, "stop being such an idiot?" She smacked the back off his head.

He sighed watching Demi as she started singing.

Damn her beautiful voice. Damn her smile and her clothes and her eyes and her hair and her legs. Damn everything about her.

...

"Boy it's been all this time, and I can't get you off my mind," Demi looked into the crowd.

"And nobody knows it but me," he caught her eye and his breath hitched in his throat.

It was true. She'd been doing so great the past couple of weeks. She'd been ignoring him and pretending their 'friendship' never even happened.

She didn't tell anyone, not even Selena even though she couldn't stop asking about it, but she missed him.

"I stare at your photograph.."

...

They were doing some kind of stupid school trip to some kind of zoo with their biology class and Demi insisted on taking pictures of anything and everything, making Joe wonder if animals looked any different in France.

"Take a picture of _nos_,- us!" She told Nick, handing him her camera as she pulled Joe her way.

"Please, no I haven't done my hair,-" Joe started and Demi laughed as she looked at him, a light flash going off.

The result was a laughing Demi, eyes shining, smile lightening and a duck faced, flat-haired Joe with his eyes closed.

She couldn't help but stare at the picture on her phone now and then.

...

"Still sleep in the shirt you left and nobody knows it but me.." Demi looked over there again, taking a deep breath.

...

It was a normal day, only this time it was rainy and cold. She was playing with their hands again, a habit she'd come customized to.

They'd been laying on his bed (door open), talking before she jumped up, knocking over their drinks that had been standing on his night desk, staining her shirt.

"_Merde_," she muttered, trying to wipe it off.

"You okay?" He asked, turning his head.

She nodded, taking off his shirt while he prayed his parents weren't home.

He gulped, "What are you doing?"

She walked towards his closet, "Borrowing a tee-shirt," she said, taking one of his old Backstreet Boys support t-shirt out of it, pulling it over her head.

"Your room is five feet away."

"I am too lazy," she threw him a look over her shoulder that said 'do you not enjoy this more then'? Or at least he thought the look belonged in that category. "What do you think?" She smiled at him and he laughed, laying back down.

"It looks great, you should keep it."

"_Mais non_, I could not."

"Don't worry, it looks better on you. Besides, if I ever get caught with that thing my friends will kill me. I promised them I'd throw it away."

"A qui," she smiled, laying back down next to him, "Le Backstreet Boys, huh?"

...

"Every day I wipe my tears away, so many nights I've prayed for you to say..." She looked directly at him and he didn't know what to do.

Selena nudged him in the ribs, glaring at him. "I swear to God if you don't get out there right away I will go out there and claim she's a lesbian so everyone will think you were her beard!"

He narrowed his eyes at Selena, fixing his mohawk and taking a deep breath.

"Do you want to be a beard, Joe?"

"I am not a beard," he breathed out before grabbing the microphone from Selena and walking onto the stage.

"I should've been," Demi started, looking at Joe, "Chasing you" He harmonized with her.

"I should've been," She looked away as Joe sang with her, "trying to prove.'

"That you were all that mattered to me," she sang, getting up from the piano.

"I should've said," he tried apologizing with his eyes but she refused to look at him, "all the things," he sang without even thinking, just trying to get her attention.

"That I kept inside of me," they sang together.

"And maybe I could've made you believe, that what we had was all we'd ever need," she finished her part.

"My friends think I'm moving on but the truth is I'm not that strong, and nobody knows it but me," Joe started, this time alone and to be honest he was kind of shaking. There were so many people (thanks to Jacob) and he was worried about all kind of things. Forgetting the lyrics, missing a note but most of all, the possibility Demi might not forgive him.

...

He tried dating, okay looking, no seriously, fine, smiling at other girls but he couldn't.

Nick and Jacob encouraged him going back to his old dating ways, sick of sulky, moody, broody Joe, but he never wants to go back to that. He never wanted that to begin with.

It just took her to realize that.

And now he had to be brave (like going to another country across an entire ocean without knowing a single person there for 12 weeks brave).

He wanted to be better, damnit. Better than leading on a girl just to get laid.

He wanted her.

...

"And I've kept all the words you said, in a box underneath my bed, and nobody knows it but me," he sang and she still refused to look at him.

He grabbed her hand, "But if you're happy I'll get through somehow.." She pulled it back and he frowned.

...

He kept thinking about her cute accent and her smile and they way her hair felt in his hands and the way she seemed completely fine without him.

What the actual fuck.

He actually needed to force himself to even lift the corner of his mouth an inch and there she was parading around school, laughing and shit.

It wasn't like they were actually dating (never made it official) or did boyfriend/girlfriend stuff (he wanted to take her on a date but he repulsed his aunt betty, god he was selfish) and yes, they hadn't known each other for centuries...

But he liked her so much,- the thought of not having her was killing him.

If she didn't want him, however, he needed to move on.

...

"But the truth is that I've been screaming out," Joe sang as they started another chorus, this time Joe leading.

The even started the chorus after that and he knew this was his last chance.

"I should've been chasing you," he heard the drums behind him, beating as loud as his heartbeat.

"You should've been trying to prove," this time she did turn to look at him, the flashing lights that followed the beat of the drum blinding her a little.

"That you were all that mattered to me.." he sang, taking her hand once again and it felt so right.

He loved her.

He didn't just like her.

He loved her.

"Oh you should've said all the things," she sang, squeezing his hand before letting go.

"I love you," he blurted out, the song not even finished.

She stared at him with wide eyes, the microphone still next to her mouth, "_Tu as repeter, s'il vous plaît?"_

He turned to Selena, with wide, desperate eyes.

"_J'taime, Joe! J'taime_!" She screamed, her hands cupping her mouth.

"_J'taime_," he whispered and for a minute he thought she was going to yell at him for ruining the song.

"_J'taime trop_," she whispered back, "_J'taime trop,_" she said this time louder before breaking into a smile while he hoped '_trop_' didn't mean 'don't' or something along the lines of 'fuck you asshole'.

Her smile widened even more, "_J'taime trop_, Joe!" She practically jumped into his arms, and he got knocked back by the sudden impact, hugging her tightly.

"I love you," he whispered again into her ear as he cupped her cheek.

"I love you, too," she leaned in, while he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her.

...

one year later

...

"No!" She shouted, "It's _tu veux_ or _tu peux_, not _tu weux_! What the hell even is that, Joe?"

"Don't be annoying," Joe told his sister as he rolled his eyes.

"She's finally back after three long fucking months of you sulking and moaning and you're ruining my mood, bitch. You stop being an ignorant dumb fuck," Selena glared at him as she elbowed him, hard.

"Stop hogging her like she's your girlfriend! She's my girlfriend," he emphases the 'my' part as he elbowed her back. "Back the fuck off."

"Guys, calm down," Selena's brown-eyed, two year younger (yes, Joe never failed to joke about 'how much an hour she was getting for babysitting him' or 'how she managed to get him out of his crib without hurting her back' and the never not amazing 'is he still being breast fed by his mom or have you taken over' joke. God, her brother is funny.) boyfriend said, since everyone was staring at their bickering.

"Sorry," Selena apologized, leaning into him.

"Shut up," Joe snapped, "Are you even illegal to drive yet?"

"Fuck you," Selena bit back, kicking the back of his leg.

He was about to go full Jersey Shore meets Tiger Woods on her when he someone crashed into him.

"Demi," he breathed, hugging her back.

"I missed you," she said and her accent was almost completely gone and he kind of missed it.

"I missed you," he echoed and she gave him one of her signature smiles before her eye caught Selena and they both shrieked.

"Sugar puss!" Okay..

"Honey bear!" He didn't want to know.

"Pookie!" They were so freaking weird.

"Titty sprinkles!" Okay, they were definitely weird and he certainly didn't want to know.

They hugged and Demi introduced herself to Selena's beau before they started to make their way to the car.

"So, how is Juilliard?" Demi smiled, their arms linked.

"I've told you," he smirked and her smile widened. After his performance at the talent show last year he found out there had been someone from the board of Juilliard (some chick's grandpa or something) in the audience and they offered him a full scholarship. He'd taken it and took Selena with him while Demi had gone back to France to finish school. Now she was back to, in her own words, 'record an album and be super famous' and 'a little bit' because she loved him.

"I know but I like hearing you talk about things that make you happy."

"Let's talk about you," he pecked her lips.

"You are such a ham ball!"

"Cheese," Selena corrected her snickering.

"Damn American expressions," Demi muttered and Joe chuckled.

"It's cute."

...

"Remember," Selena told him, fixing his tie, "It's with a v, not a w."

He felt like she was more nervous than him. Nah, that was impossible.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you've been telling me the entire day."

"If you fuck this up, Joe, I will kill you."

He rolled his eyes, "I'll be leaving now."

She brushed his shoulder again with her hand, before taking one final look. "Okay.. Good luck."

"Thanks," he muttered before opening the door to find Demi waiting for him.

Her hair was lighter now, light brown with blonde high lights. She was wearing a black skintight dress accentuated with pink and purple.

"Hi."

"Hey."

...

He showed her around central park after dinner and she told him she liked New York more than she'd liked Arizona.

He laughed, "Me too."

He took a nervous breath as they sat down on one of the park benches.

"Look, I need to ask you something Demi.."

She nodded her head and he grabbed her hand.

"I know I love you, I just know because, well not only are you amazing, you make me feel amazing. You make me smile and you make my heart beat faster," he scanned her face and she blushed a little.

"Joe.." Her voice trailed off and he didn't fail to notice she still said his name with her accent.

"I know this is a big step," he went to take something out of his pocket and she gaped at him. "But I know this is right and it would make Selena really happy."

Demi laughed and he opened the box, revealing a dog bone.

"_Tu veux adopter un chien avec moi_?"

"Yes!" She shouted, hugging him tightly before kissing him.

"Thank God, Selena's been nagging for one for months but I said we couldn't have one until I cleared it with you."

"Can we call it Princess Poo-nugget?"

Damn her for turning the one animal that's at least a bit manly into something fairly like.

…


End file.
